I propose to take Questions Nos. 127, 134, 363 and 367 together.
Coroners are independent office holders, and my Department has no role in directing their work during the death investigation function. Neither does the Department have any role in relation to the work of pathologists who, as clinicians, undertake postmortem examinations on the direction of a coroner.
Policy and operational responsibilities for the provision of postmortem examination services to support the work of the Coroner Service is supported by several departments and agencies. My Department is responsible for the legislation underpinning the work of coroners, while the provision of the postmortem examination service is largely provided through the health service and its personnel. It is important to clarify that pathologists, other than forensic pathologists in the Office of the State Pathologist, are not contracted to either my Department, or to coroners.
Where a coroner deems a postmortem examination to be required, the coroner concerned will arrange the post-mortem examination to be conducted as expeditiously as possible to ensure timely release of remains to the next of kin of the deceased. Depending on the circumstances of the death, a post-mortem examination will be carried out by a pathologist or, in state forensic cases, by the Office of the State Pathologist.
My Department is aware that securing the provision of the postmortem service for the coronial death investigation function is challenging and I have been engaging with the Minister for Health to address the reasons behind these challenges.
I am advised that there are issues arising with respect to the performance of port-mortems within the pathology profession generally, including relating to training and recruitment, as well as competing demands on pathologists in areas of diagnostic and research work and I acknowledge those concerns.
With this in mind, my Department in April 2022 established a ‘Standing Committee on the Provision of Coroner Directed postmortem examination services', membership of which consists of representatives from the Department of Health, the Health Service Executive, the Office of the State Pathologist, An Garda Síochána, the Coroners Society of Ireland, the Department of Housing, Local Authorities and Heritage and the Faculty of Pathology, Royal College of Physicians Ireland as well as my Department. While this committee is an important forum with appropriate membership to discuss issues in relation to the autopsy service, I am conscious that the situation in University Hospital Waterford has reached a critical juncture, and an urgent solution is required.
Following a recent meeting in UHW attended by representatives of these parties and officials in my Department, I am advised that the pathologists employed at that location have indicated that they are not available to carry out post-mortems. On foot of this my Department has been engaging with locum pathologists with a view to agreeing a solution to the situation in UHW from 1 January next. This approach is an unfortunate necessity to minimise any impact on bereaved family members who are engaging with the Coroner Service. However, a long-term sustainable solution is nevertheless required, whereby locum pathologists are not relied upon to provide the autopsy service, and instead this service to the community is provided from within the pathology profession in Ireland generally.
